WEALDSTONE boss Gordon Bartlett believes his side are heading in the right direction following some favourable pre-season results.

The Grosvenor Vale outfit are halfway through their eight match pre-season and boss Bartlett is pleased with how his team have performed.

Despite suffering a 4-1 defeat at Windsor and Eton, Stones bounced back in style to beat a young Watford side 3-1 in their first game at Ruislip Manor last week.

On Saturday they played out a goalless draw with Blue Square side Hampton and Richmond Borough before enduring another stalemate at Leatherhead on Tuesday.

And while the goals have dried up, not helped by last season's top scorer Peter Dean moving to Blue Square South side Bishops Stortford, Bartlett is unconcerned.

"We're moulding very nicely and are looking solid," he said.

"The only area causing me a little bit of concern is up front as we failed to score in our last two games. We had some good opportunities to, but the wrong decisions were made.

"But I'm certainly not that worried about it as I know the capabilities of what (players) I've got."

The Stones boss, who is about to embark on his 14th season at the helm, will now step up his search for Dean's replacement, but insists he is in no rush.

In the meantime, he is happy with his team's pre-season preparations despite using almost 30 players in four games.

"The attitude of the boys has been excellent," he added.

"There were very big pluses against Watford and Hampton and we were without our two best players from last season, Ryan Ashe and Carl Martin, and still did well. That showed the strength of the squad I have. "

Bartlett, who revealed he has turned down an approach from an ex-pro and a Ryman Premier defender this week, an area he feels is well stocked, says home comforts are having a profound effect on the players after the club spent too long living a nomadic existence.

"The lads have a good work ethic and are very together," commented the manager.

"Being at home for the first time has also helped. There are little things we can do, like putting an ice bath in the changing rooms - the little things that so many other clubs have had for ages make a real difference.

"The training equipment is down there rather than in my garage and we can go and set up what we want to do and train on the pitch before socialising in the bar afterwards.

"If the players are pulling together off the pitch it can help us through the dodgy times we are bound to have between now and next May."

Meanwhile, Stones midfielder Graeme Montgomery has been invited for three days training with Watford after catching the eye of Hornets boss Aidy Boothroyd during last week's game.

"I'm delighted for Graeme, it's a little feather in his cap," said Bartlett of the 20-year-old wide left prospect. "Aidy Boothroyd was also very complimentary of us after the game.

He thought we were well organised and acquitted ourselves very well and left impressed."

Also making an impression is Alan Massey.

The former Wycombe Wanderers midfielder has inked a permanent deal with Wealdstone following a successful loan spell last season.